Introduction
We were reviewing a critical release for a healthcare platform: full regression, tight deadlines, one of those Friday-night deploys everyone secretly dreads. Halfway through, their CISO pings us: “Hey, do your test cases track ESG-relevant criteria? Data use, accessibility, things like that?”
At first, I thought he was joking.
Actually, no… he wasn’t.
That was the first time I realized ESG isn’t just for finance departments and sustainability officers anymore. It’s showing up in QA workflows; quietly, then all at once.
ESG in QA? Wait, What?
For context: we’re BetterQA, an independent QA company out of Romania. NATO-cleared, ISO-certified, and working with some of the most heavily regulated sectors out there: fintech, healthcare, and public sector tech. So we’ve always had a foot in compliance. But ESG? That used to feel… adjacent.
Now, it’s on the table. Literally. In RFPs. In kickoff calls. In “why didn’t you flag this accessibility issue?” emails.
A Lesson Learned: ESG Isn't Someone Else's Job
One mistake we made early on? Treating ESG like someone else’s job. We focused on functionality, performance, automation coverage. But in regulated industries, quality means more than “it works.” It means it’s traceable, inclusive, and ethical.
And when you’re offering outsourced software testing or unbiased QA testing as a service? That responsibility lands squarely in your sprint backlog.
How We Adapted: Building ESG into Our Process
So we adapted. Not overnight, not perfectly.
We built templates to log data access patterns in test cases. We made accessibility checks a default, not a nice-to-have. We started flagging ESG-related risks in our bug reports, even if the client hadn’t asked for it.
The Results: From Vendor to Strategic Partner
A few groaned. Most said thanks. One big client bumped us up from “vendor” to “strategic partner” after our QA docs helped them pass an external audit.
Quick Side Rant: ESG Noise vs. Real Issues
Quick side rant: I still think some of the ESG noise is performative fluff. But you know what isn’t? A real person with a disability trying to use your app. Or a supply chain disruption because your logging platform ran afoul of new data laws. That stuff’s real.
Is ESG Testing the Future of QA?
Is ESG testing a core feature of QA? Maybe not yet. But it’s creeping in. And if you’re working with an external QA partner who ignores that shift, you’re probably going to feel it soon; in boardrooms, in audits, maybe in headlines.
Conclusion: Building ESG Habits in QA
We’re not saints. We’ve messed this up before. But we’re learning. Fast.
And maybe that’s the real ESG challenge for QA teams: not checking boxes, but building habits.
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